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From a handful of Johannesburg restaurants to all nine provinces, Uber Eats marks a decade of connecting South Africans with the businesses, products and flavours they love.
A decade after launching in Johannesburg, Uber Eats is marking 10 years in South Africa as a meaningful contributor to the local economy, with an estimated R1.6 billion in additional value created for restaurants, saving consumers more than 12.7 million hours a year. That impact has grown with the platform, which began in September 2016 as a restaurant delivery app and is now a nationwide marketplace connecting merchants, couriers and customers, opening up new ways for people and businesses to take part in the digital economy. As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month, Uber Eats is marking the milestone by continuing to deliver the flavours South Africans know and love to their doorsteps.
“When we launched Uber Eats in Johannesburg, we were focused on getting a meal from a restaurant to someone’s door. Ten years later, the platform has become part of how South Africans access what they need, while helping businesses connect with more consumers and creating flexible earning opportunities. This milestone is about celebrating how far we’ve come, while continuing to explore how technology can support greater economic participation,” said Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, General Manager for Uber Eats South Africa.
Over the past decade, the platform’s impact has moved beyond deliveries. Through its township partnership with the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), Uber Eats has brought thousands more merchants and delivery people into the digital economy, generating over R1 billion in economic value and expanding access to digital infrastructure and earning opportunities. Uber Eats has also introduced its HDP feature, which highlights stores and restaurants owned by historically disadvantaged people to increase their visibility and access to demand. Johannesburg and Pretoria currently account for the largest share of HDP merchants, followed by Cape Town and Durban.
“Digital platforms can play an important role in expanding economic participation, particularly by creating earning opportunities for young people and helping businesses connect with more consumers. As South Africa continues to build a more digital and inclusive economy, platforms like Uber Eats can help broaden access to both opportunity and everyday products and services,” says Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, MEC for Economic Development in Gauteng,
That impact has been accompanied by significant growth. Uber Eats currently operates across all nine provinces, with a growing merchant network extending beyond major urban centres to cities including East London, Gqeberha, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Polokwane, Middleburg and Emalahleni. This year alone, thousands of new merchants joined the platform, with nearly three quarters of them being small and medium-sized businesses.
“Our growth over the past decade wouldn’t have been possible without the merchants and couriers who have grown alongside us. As we mark 10 years, we’re celebrating their role in shaping what Uber Eats has become in South Africa,” added Ntsoaki Nsibanyoni, General Manager for Uber Eats South Africa.
A decade of orders also tells a distinct South African food story. Fried chicken with traditional pap has been the most ordered meal over the past 10 years, alongside local favourites dishes including chakalaka, malva pudding and lamb bunny chow. Regional tastes also stand out, with sushi popular in Cape Town, grilled chicken in Durban, and burgers and grilled PERi-PERi chicken in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
South Africans’ use of Uber Eats reflects their love of food and convenience. In 2025, one customer placed more than 2,500 orders in 10 months, while another ordered the same coffee over 700 times in a year. Speed has come a long way, from a grocery delivery completed in under 2 minutes in Cape Town in 2022 to a peach-flavoured rooibos iced tea delivered in less than 50 seconds in 2025. And, on Valentine’s Day, love took centre stage in Johannesburg and Pretoria, where 454 orders were placed.
As Uber Eats enters its second decade in South Africa, the platform will continue to evolve with the needs of South Africans, using technology, partnerships and local insights to expand access, create opportunities for merchants and couriers, and shape the next decade of on-demand delivery.